Bring You Up To Speed -

Hmm.. Deciding where to start to give you an understanding of where I am at now.
On a cold and rainy April night at King Edward Hospital in 1984 and precious baby boy was born – hmmm too for back.
Lets skip ahead a good 20 odd years - I lived in Halls Head (Mandurah) Western Australia and worked at Fairbridge Village as the Senior Activities Instructor (later changed to Senior Instructor of Outdoor Recreation).
Fairbridge is a major youth charitable organisation in Western Australia and the only charity in Australia that owns a whole nationally heritage listed town site. Fairbridge runs a myriad of programs and services for young people and has partnership agreements with 14 other youth organisations. Fairbridge works with children with a disability, young people at risk, young people with drug problems, the unemployed, young people in our justice system, young people who are struggling with life, indigenous young people and refugees, through to gifted young people. Fairbridge assists young people to reach their full potential and bring about long term positive sustainable change in their lives. I used to coordinate and run camps and activities for them.
Pritty awesome and it also has an Eco Village status. Perfect place for me to be working. The main problem was it was very long hours (which I didn't mind doing) and the drive to work was 80minutes every single day because Fairbridge is located north of Pinjarra. My situation changed where I was then living so I asked if I could live on site at Fairbridge in one of the cottages which wasn't being utilized by clients. To my surprise I was allowed.
I was only planning to live on site for a few months but those few months turned into a year and half. It was great living at Fairbridge. It was also great working at Fairbridge but I couldn't do both. It got to the point where I needed to re-enter society and rent a house in Pinjarra (the town just down the road).
I love Pinjarra – its the first town that I have lived in (and I moved around heaps when I was a kid) that I felt true pride to say I lived there. I am the Pinjarra Cub Scout Leader (Akela) and I get a true sense of community from the place. It takes me an hour to get a loaf of bread because I keep bumping into people and having a chat to them. I don't mind because I actually enjoy it.
One day I went to the shop and found a flier on the community board for a dog for $100. I always wanted a dog since I had one when I was little. I took down the number and gave them a call. The lady said that if the dog wasn't taken by the end of the day that she would need to put her down because they where moving over east. I just had to take her. She was a 3 year old black and white Aketa X named (ironicly) Keeta.
So here I am living in town with a dog and working long hours for a course I think everyone should be working towards – helping people. However all good things come to an end. I wasn't happy with my job and I just wanted to spread my wings as I felt I wasn't reaching my full potential. I applied to Camp America and got accepted and placed straight away. I decided I would start a part time business on weekends taking kids camping (www.grassrootventures.com.au) to make a bit of money to go towards my trip to the USA in May 09. Unfortunately I hit a few hiccups with my employer and I decided it would be in my best interest to resign – no hard feelings. All things happen for a reason.
I have developed my business into a 'full time business' as best as I can. It has a lot of potential however the world financial crisis has been putting pressure on peoples personal financial situations which intern means they don't spend as much as they used to on the kinds of services I offer. So here I am I have no steady income, I have a dog to feed, rent to pay ($230 a week) and bills I can not pay for. I can see myself getting in deep debt.
Around 3 years has passed since I lived in Halls Head and I feel I have come a very long way. I have no TV, Microwave, Electric Kettle, Toaster – the only electrical things I have is my laptop, a printer, my fridge and washing machine oh... And a lamp which I never use – I just keep it coz it looks cool.
I use only 80L of water a week and I recycle over 60% of my waist. I eat as organic as I can and I also try to only eat food which are right for my blood type (which is B+). I am slowly re-socializing myself to make my transiting easier.
One of my ultimate goal in life (I have a few) is to buy a large area of land and live self sufficiently and in harmony with nature on it. I want to share this with others who also share the same Shadoran views. I would like it to become a tribal based community where we can expand and grow to reach out to the wider community and help guide them to a better way of living – especially the young. I am Shadoran – and so I hope my efforts for self preservation helps others achieve theirs and we can ultimately change the world and avoid this catastrophe which I feel society is blindly walking into.
Should I do it? Should I go off grid and risk it? Or should I keep doing what I am currently doing as part of the problem - just like everyone else?